Railway-signal



W. W. RUGERSAND F. H. DECKER.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-13,1917.

Patented May 27, 1919.

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I UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM W. ROGERS AND FREDERICK H. DECKER, OF FRENCHTOWN, NEW JERSEY.

RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 27,1919.

Application filed October 13, 1917. Serial No. 196,440.

and FREDERICK H. DECKER, citizens ofthe United States,resid1ng at Frenchtown, in

the county of Hunterdon'and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railway-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention'pertains to improvements in railway signal devices. 7

- The invention aims primarily at the provision of an improved signal system including a track-side semaphore, a. ontact rail extending along the track rail adjacent thesemaphore, a mechanism for energizing the contact rail in the danger position of the semaphore arm, and a train carried device adapted to be actuated when the train passes thesemaphore location and the contact rail is energized to attract attention of the train crew to the position of the semaphore arm.

The invention particularly at the improvement of the mechanism for energizing the contact rail by providing a contact rod which is slidably mounted to engage against and disengage from the rail, to establish connection with and energize the latter in one position, and a simple and efiicient link' mechanism for actuating the contact red by the movements of the semaphore arm.

A further object is the provision of a 'contact rod having an insulated section.

toward the contact rail and a hollow section extending from the insulated section toward the semaphore mast through which the conductor for energizing the insulated section is led, so that the conductor will be efi'ectively protected from the weather, from meddling by an unauthorized person, or from accidental damage.

With these and other objects in view, we have embodied our invention in the preferred form'illustlated in the drawings and described in the specification below.

In the drawingsz Figure 1 1s a side elevation of the device,

and illustrates in fragmentary form a loconotive equipped with the train carried portion of the apparatus at the moment of passin the semaphore location.

l ig.-2 is a fragmentary top plan view in which are indicated diagrammatically the various electric circuits involved.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the contact rod indicating the structure in greater detail.

the rail 11.

Referring to the drawings more particu-- larly, a track-side signal semaphore adapted for operating'the device is shown as of the commonly employed form having a verticalmast 1 and an arm mounted on the upper end of the mast .forvertical swinging movement. The usual track railsf'are indicated by the numeral 3 and shown as carried bythe cross tie 4. 1

In the present instance a supporting bracket 5,is secured to the lower end of the mast 1 as by bolts 6 and extends toward the rails 3. Pivoted t0 the other end of the bracket 5 is a bell-lever 7 having a'vertical arm 8 and a horizontal arm 9. The lower end of the vertical arm 8 is pivotally connected to a contact rod 10 extending toward a contact rail 11 which in the present ina ports 12 are provided for the rail 11. Suitable bearings 13 are rovided for the rod 10 whereby the latter is adapted for sliding movement to cause the end toward the rail 11 to engage against and disengage from the rail to establish connection with the latter. In the vpresent instance the bearings 13 are'mounted on one of the cross ties 4 which is prolonged toward the mast 1 for this purpose. In the present instance, also, the contact rod 10 extends through an opening 14 wherewith one of the track rails 3 is formed, but obviously the rod 10 might be bent to extend under the rail 3 if desired. Preferablythe rod 10 has a short end section 15 toward the rail 11 for establishingcontact with the latter, the other section 16 of the rod being hollow and having the SBCi/IOIL 15 mounted thereon by means of the insulating coupling 17. The horizontal arm 9 of the belldever 7 is pivotally connected to the lower end of an upwardly extending link 18 having similarv pivotal cohnection at its up er extremity to the signal arm 2. The 1'0( lever, and link are so arranged that inthe.normal position, of the signal arm, the section. 15 of the rod is disengaged from the rail 11, while in the movement of arm to danger position the section 15 will engage against and establish connection with For energizing tric energy indicated as a batterylf-l, may be conveniently located near the semaphore mast, and has one terminal connected with the track rails 3, in any suitable manner.

the rail 11 a source of elec I The other terminal of the battery 19 is connected to a conductor 20 which extends through the hollow section 16 of the rod 10 and is electrically connected with the end section 15. A suitable housing may be provided When desired to protect the battery and the portion of the conductor :20 which extends beyond the hollow section 16, but is not shown in the present instance, as not necessary for a clear understanding of the invention.

Extending from the under side of the locomotive are contact shoes :21 disposed on opposite sides of the locomotive so as to establish connection with the rail ll in a movement of the locomotive in. either direction. The shoes 21 are carried on suitable springs in turn mounted on insulating supports 23 attached in any suitable man- .ner to a convenientportion of the train structure of the locomotive. Within the cab of the locomotive are provided a plurality of electric lamps 2%, preferably of a red color to more readily attract attention, and disposed in proximity to the positions usually occupied by the engineer and firemen respectively. One terminal of each lamp is grounded on the frame structure of the locomotive while the other terminal is preferably connected with the shoes 21 so when passing a semaphore location where the semaphore arm is in danger position the lamps 24 will be energized to attract the attention of engineer and firemen. Obviously any other desired signal devices, as for instance a bell, might be included in the circuit with the lamps.

It is to he understood that the herein described preferred form of the invention constitutes only one of many comprised within the spirit and scope thereof and the right is reserved to variations and departures therefrom falling within the latitude of the invention as defined by the claim.

What is claimed is: p

The combination with a contact rail extending along a railway, of a hollow horizontal contact rod with one end in juxtaposition to said rail, said contact rod having an insulated end section extending toward said rail, mountings for said rod whereby it is adapted for sliding movement, and an electric circuit including said insulated sect-ion otthe contact rod and said rail, said circuit normally broken by a gap between said insulated section of the contact rod and said cont-act rail and adapted to be completed by engagement of said section against said rail in one position of said rod.

In testimony whereof we aiiiX our signatures.

l'VILLIAM ROGERS. FREDERICK H. DECKER. 

